Chapter 2 A DARE AND A KISS

HAZEL 

I can't do it. No, I won't do it.

What the hell was he thinking anyway? That I'd touch a boy I met like five seconds ago? My stomach churned loudly as my hands trembled nervously.

I have never gotten physical with any boy before in my entire life. Heck, I didn't even have a boyfriend until my sophomore year and it didn't count.

He was a nerd like me and all we ever did on our dates was talk about debates, solve math questions and hold hands. The one time he thought I was going to kiss him, he puked out his lungs and I felt so disgusted that I broke up with him on the spot.

What made him think I'd even know what to do?

Everyone was staring at me now, and it didn't help that Jaxon was staring at me as if he was actually waiting for me to make a move. I should have just stayed at home, but it didn't look like I'd be getting out of this either way.

“Come on, girl,” Jude whined. “It shouldn't be that hard, right? Just touch his balls and…”

“She doesn't have to do it if she's not comfortable with it,” Hailey chimed in. 

Brandon and Jude had a smile plastered on their faces, clearly enjoying the scene as Hailey gave me a reassuring smile. “You can just opt for the drink,” she shrugged. “It doesn't make any difference.”

“Oh, it does,” Brandon whistled and Hailey shot him a look.

I looked between the red cup on the table, and back to the boy who sat calmly beside me as if my decision didn't make any difference, and yet there was something magnetic beneath his eyes that made me want to drown in them.

Get a grip, Hazel. You only just met him.

God, I must be losing my mind because I have never found anyone this attractive at first glance. It must be the effect of moving to a different city all of a sudden.

My trembling hands reached for the cup on the table but the second I recalled how badly it tasted, I shuddered.

I knocked it by mistake, splashing it over Jaxon's shirt.

“Oh my god, I'm so sorry,” I reached for his shirt to clean up the mess. His eyes locked with mine and gods, he looked even more beautiful up close.

His hot breath fanned my face from the closeness and my breath hitched. For a second there, I forgot what I was doing and all I could think of was the strong abs my hand came in contact with.

God, he looked so perfect.

“She did it!!! OMG, I almost thought she wouldn't,” Brandon squealed, snapping me out of my trance.

It took me a second to notice how I was literally pressed against him when I pulled away.

“I'm sorry,” I said quickly.

“Nah, that barely counts. She only touched his shirt,” Jude rolled his eyes.

“Did you see the way he looked at her?” Betty scoffed. “He looked like he was about to devour her,” she added with a frown.

What was her deal anyway? She didn't seem to be his girlfriend because he barely paid her any attention since we got here and she wouldn't stop clinging onto him.

Could she be crushing on him then? My chest tightened at the thought, but I brushed it off before it could linger.

“He reacted to her touch,” Hailey finally uttered. “That should count.”

“The dare was to turn him on,” Jude argued and Brandon scoffed.

“Do you want to pull down his pants to confirm then?”

Hailey laughed at the comment. “God, you guys are so crazy. Don't ruin the game now when it's only getting more interesting.”

“Jaxon, you're next,” Jude said with a sheepish grin and everyone snorted at him.

“You don't know how to let go of things, do you?” Hailey rolled her eyes at him.

“What's the fun in that?” 

Jude looked between Jaxon and me, an evil glint casting under the fluorescent light as he cleared his throat.

“Jaxon, I dare you to finish what she started?”

“Oou,” Brandon grin widened as he gave Jude a high five.

“Are you dumb? What does that even mean?” Betty frowned from her seat and Jude shrugged.

“Alright, I'll make it easy for you.”

My heart skipped a beat as Jude smirk grew even wider. “You have five minutes. Go to an empty room upstairs,” he paused as if letting it sink in. “You'll be locked inside of course, finish what she started and trust me, we will be keeping tabs,” he said the last part like a threat.

My heart hammered against my ear as I froze in my seat. Go upstairs alone with him? 

What if he actually tried to touch me?

“Don't tell me you're scared, Hazel,” Jude grinned, clearly enjoying this a bit too much.

I rubbed my clampy hands over my skirt as I swallowed hard. Jaxon turned to look at me, barely as he rose to his feet.

“You coming?”

It was the first time I'd hear him speak tonight. His deep husky voice vibrated through the room, sending a pool of heat down my spine.

No. Not happening.

“Come on, Hazel!” Brandon chuckled. “Don't ruin the fun now.”

I stood up hesitantly as Jaxon walked in front of me. I trailed behind him, hands sweaty as my heart raced even faster.

What the hell am I doing? What will I do in the room with this insanely hot boy alone for that matter?

I couldn't help but notice how tall he was as he took the stairs. Maybe 6’2? His muscles flexed with each step he took and anyone could tell he was an athlete from his strong physique.

He pushed the door open to an empty room and when he stopped to look at me, I forgot how to breathe.

His sleeked hair had loosen and a strand had fallen to his face, making him look even more hot.

It has to be the drink I took earlier. There was no way a boy would make me feel this way.

‘Yeah. The one you barely touched,’ a voice spoke in my head.

I stepped into the room as if I was being controlled by something and I could hear Brandon and Jude giggling as Jaxon shut the door close.

He leaned against the door, staring at me lazily. He wasn’t awkward or tense like me. He looked down at his ruined shirt then up at me. “You can relax,” he finally broke the silence. “Jude bluffs a lot.”

I shifted my weight from one leg to another, hiding my shaky hands behind my back as I stood rooted to the same spot. I avoided his gaze, wondering what was going through his head and it didn't help that he seemed way too calm about the whole thing.

God, why is this so hard?

Okay, it's not a big deal. Just wait here until five minutes passed and then we would be out.

“And trust me, I'll be keeping tabs,’ Jude's remark replayed in my head.

My stomach curled tightly as I imagined him giving us a more difficult task to do in front of them. It can't be that bad, maybe I should just peck his lips.

That'd count, right?

I looked up slowly to see that his eyes were already on mine. “This doesn’t have to be awkward,” he spoke again.

Exactly. We don’t have to make things awkward. 

Just peck his lips and get things over with. You can do that, Hazel.

As I staggered forward, his eyes tracked the exact moment my nails dug into my skin. I bet he could see the slight wobble in my ankles too. He knew I was terrified, yet he didn’t back away. 

His tall frame towered over me, making me look short even though I was 5’6. 

It’s just a peck, I reminded myself.

His eyes searched mine as if he was trying to predict my next action when I tiptoed to place a brief kiss on his lips.

His body tensed for a split second. I didn't wait to see if it was a shock or something else. I pulled back, already reaching for the door when his hands fell on my waist, pulling me tight back to him.

My chest hammered against my rib as he leaned in closely. I should pull away. My work here was done, but rather than sprinting like every logical part of me was screaming I stood still on the same spot.

His nose grazed mine as he kept staring at me as if giving me a chance to pull away, when my eyes flickered shut on their own.

I parted my lips before I could process what I was doing and his lips locked against mine.

It wasn't the clumsy peck I had aimed for. The second my lips parted, Jaxon let out a low growl against my mouth, his firm grip holding my waist, as he pulled me flushed against his body.

I could feel the pounding of his heart matching mine as his lips moved over mine with a burning hunger that stole the remaining air out of my lungs.

This was my first time kissing anyone at all. I have nothing to compare this to, but every romance book I had ever read lied because nothing prepared for the fire burning through my veins.

I ran my hands through his hair, pulling him closer like I had watched at least a thousand times in my favorite movie. He tasted faintly of the alcohol he had earlier with a mix of peppermint in his breath.

His hands fell to my waist as he deepened the kiss. His tongue brushed against mine, making a soft whimper escape the back of my throat.

My knees had gone weak and if he wasn't holding me tightly, I was afraid I might actually fall.

His other hand slid up my spine, his large palm cupping the back of my neck to hold me as he kissed me roughly.

My mind went blank and all I could think about was the addictive scent of him, the heat of his skin against mine, and the way our mouth went in sync as if we had done this a thousand times.

Just as his thumb brushed against my jawline, tilting my head back, a loud bang echoed through the room, snapping me back to reality.

“Time's up!”